For Good
by Enchantable
Summary: The road to happiness is a winding one. True love has its obstacles. But the journey is worth making in the end. A series of oneshots following AzAmbrose, DGCain, LavenderEyesAhamo and JebAirofday. Raw's there too. Goes in line with Only You and sequel.
1. Apologize by Timbaland Feat OneRepublic

"Now I want you to count back from ten," the cold voice said.

"No! That's my brain!" he heard the words, desperation thick in them being torn from his lips. But his traitorous mind began to count, just not in the way the doctor wanted him to.

**One**

He was very young, seven, at the oldest, the first time he saw her. She had been playing in the mud and her lavender dress was far more brown than the pretty purple shade it had been at the start of the day. Her sleek black hair was wild and around her face caught up in a mess of twigs and leaves that looked ironically like a crown. Her eyes were dark, bright an intelligent, the opposite of the little girl next to her with the wide, vacant blue eyes. She regarded him suspiciously and he was suddenly very aware of how ill fitting the formal cloths were that his father insisted he wear. Still, she seemed to be looking past the cloths and the fact his own black hair was in complete disarray. She seemed to be looking right into his soul. He shifted his feet and looked down at the marble floor before risking a glance back up at her before looking down again just as quickly.

"Azkadellia," the Queen beckoned, "come down here and say hello to Ambrose, Ambrose this is my daughter Azkadellia."

No title, he barely realized, no formality and she did nothing to change that. She simply walked forward and stuck her hand out, not for him to kiss, he realized, but for him to shake, like the Knights did, like they were equals. He shook her hand, possibly the only clean part of her. And then she smiled, a small little smile that seemed to light up her eyes like they were gems. He immediately returned the smile, deciding that he liked seeing her smile, it made her seem not quite so scary.

**Two**

He's a bit older, not necessarily wiser, when she storms into his rooms. Her eyes are blazing with unmistakable anger and he feels something stir in his gut as she begins to pace around his room, her hands balled into fists. He doesn't ask her what's wrong, he can tell she needs to spew words like angry lava. Her mother recently forbid her from using magic as punishment and actual fighting is forbidden for a Princess so she's only left with words at the moment. Instead he sits back and enjoys the way her hair streams behind her and the lacy dress poufs out every time she spins on her heel.

"They're making me learn to dance!" she finally gets out stopping right in front of him.

"So?" he asked, "dancing's not so bad."

"You know how to dance?" she demanded.

"You don't?" he retorted with mock-disbelief, "aren't you a Princess?"

"I wish I wasn't," she said resuming pacing, "DG doesn't have to learn to dance, DG just gets to practice magic all day long with Tutor but I need to learn to dance! How to eat right, how to talk to people," she spun around, "it's not fair!"

"Well I don't know the other stuff but I can help you with dancing," he said running a hand through his messy hair, "if you want."

"Would you Ambrose?" she said, her eyes lighting up.

"Sure," he said with a shrug, "it's easy, rhythm is in your soul. People can take your brain but they can't take your soul."

"People can't take other people's brains," she said.

"They can too," he said, "its what they do to evil people in the dungeons."

"But you're not evil," she said, "you're the nicest person I know! I would never let anyone take your brain," she said firmly, "I promise."

**Three**

He's packing up to leave for school and she's been acting weirder and weirder. He assumes its one of those girl-things his dad won't tell him about but mutters about his mother when they fight. Even so, he's packing up the last of his trunks and looking rather mournfully around his empty room, wondering if its such a good idea to be going when he sees her in the doorway. She walks in like she's scared of something, her eyes firmly on the ground. They're both very young still, he's probably too young to be going far away to school and she's too young to be saying goodbye to her best friend but here they are anyway. She closed the door behind her and suddenly, for the first time in a while, they're alone.

"What's wrong Az?" he asked finally, his voice timid.

"What's wrong?" he prepared himself for a whiplash, "what's wrong?! You know for someone so smart you can be really really--" she searched for the right word, "really dumb sometimes! You must have a glitch in your brain that makes you be like that!"

He looked up carefully and felt his heart tug. She had tears rolling down her cheeks, not just in anger. She bit her lip but the tears kept coming, yet she still managed to glare furiously at him. He swallowed thickly and walked forward. She stayed glued to the spot, as if proving that she did not need him. Finally they were toe to toe and almost nose to nose. Her dark eyes locked on his and she looked away quickly, choking the sob in her throat back furiously. He wasn't sure what to do, he only knew that he didn't want to see her cry.

So, rather desperately, he pressed his lips to hers. Their eyes stayed open, it was more a colliding of lips than an actual kiss. Her tears made it very salty too but it was a kiss, the first for both of them. Their eyes were locked in on each other, neither really sure what to do. Finally the lack of oxygen made them pull apart. He opened his mouth, figuring that she was going to yell at him. At least she had stopped crying now, the tears frozen on her cheeks. When she still didn't move he reached out and brushed them from her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I'll write you," he promised, "I'll see you soon Az," he turned back to the trunks but she tugged his wrist and their lips collided again. This time when she pulled back, she smiled rather brilliantly.

"You'd better write me," she said, "bye Ambrose."

**Four**

She's possessed the next time he sees her. They both know it because it's after she's 'killed' DG. Somewhere inside him, he knows the Queen looks too old to simply be a grieving mother. She cried but he knows those tears are not just for DG. Azkadellia was not frozen, outwardly she was angry but inside something else was happening. He could tell, he could always tell. She didn't look at him once during the funeral or the somber memorial afterwards. She just looked at the grave in angry disbelief, as if she was not really sure that her sister was in there. He kept trying to walk over to her but she wouldn't stay still long enough for him to catch up. He finally found her in the garden maze, staring at a bush as if by glaring she could kill it.

"Az," he began.

"Its Azkadellia," she said, "no-one calls me Az anymore."

"Azkadellia," he conceded.

They were both in that odd phase where they were becoming teenagers. He had suddenly lost the ability to talk to any girl, much less her and she had other things on her mind then boys. So he just walked over to her and sat down next to her, barely close enough for her to feel the heat of his body. When she didn't hit him or run, he scooted a little closer until their arms were touching. Finally he reached down with his hand and took her own, his fingers interlacing with hers. She looked down at their joined hands and took a slow, shaky breath. He though it was from anger but the next one came out as a sob, and then another and suddenly she was crying harder than he'd ever seen her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, letting her sob into his jacket.

"I'm so scared," she sobbed out, "I'm dying Ambrose, I can't stop it," she sobbed harder, her words becoming less than audible, "I can't do anything, she's winning and I'm not going to make it!"

"She won't win," he said automatically, not even sure what she was talking about, "you just have to keep fighting."

"I can't!" she sobbed.

"Yes! Yes you can, you're the strongest person I know Az. I'll find a way to save you, I promise."

For that one moment in the garden maze, it's Azkadellia and Ambrose, no Witch, no nothing.

**Five**

He's been true to his word and writes her letter after letter from school in his neat handwriting. He tells her about his studies, he tells her about the other students, he tells her about himself and the things he wants to invent one day. She doesn't reply but he promised to write her and he keeps his promises. He knows that if she could write him, she would. What he doesn't know is that the letters he sends are possibly the only thing that keeps her from just giving up. The Witch gets stronger every day and she's a little closer to dying but every time the envelopes come with his handwriting she thinks she can hold on for a little longer. The Witch takes his brilliant ideas and warps them into her own twisted inventions and while she does that, Azkadellia devours the rest of the letters, when he talks about himself and asks how she is. He doesn't sign them love or anything like that but 'Your Friend', as if he knows that's what she needs more than anything else.

**Six**

She kills his father. His mother had died a while back but she kills his father in a twisted and warped act of love for him. Or the Witch does, but its becoming harder and harder to tell whose who in the body. Anyway his father is dead and that's what brings him back, never to leave again. The palace is somber, too somber to just be because of his father's death when he gets back for the first time. He's a man now, young but he's an adult and he knows things that he didn't before, like its going take a lot more than some invention to save Azkadellia. Still he's back because he promised he would take over his father's position, he just didn't think it would be so soon.

He settled back into his rooms very quickly, too quickly. He was desperate to not sit still, to not think about what he was going to say when he saw Azkadellia again. He loved her he knew that much, but he did not know how he could love her still after what she had done. So he did everything as fast as he could and helped the Queen as often as he could, so he wouldn't have to stop and think about what he was doing and what he was going to say to her if she ever managed to get him in a situation where he actually had to talk to her.

He managed to avoid her for over a month, just catching glimpses of silk or ebony hair but never seeing the whole picture. He told himself that he was doing a good job, that he was helping the Queen by avoiding her daughter. The Queen, however, was still a mother and could be blinded by love for the daughter she may not have had anymore. So one day he went into the throne room and saw she was there. He stubbornly refused to meet her eyes until the Queen told him that he was now Azkadellia's bodyguard since people seemed to be constantly getting hurt or dying around her. And then he felt the world end when the Queen finished the sentence by saying that he would also be wed to her.

**Seven**

He was staying up late that same night, hunched over his desk working furiously on an invention that did not seem to want to be created. The door opened and shut. He had no doubt who it was, anyone who was trying to kill him would have just come through one of the open windows. He sighed and put down his writing instrument before standing up and turning to face Azkadellia. He knew she was beautiful but it was still a shock to think that something so beautiful could be quite so evil. He swallowed thickly at her appearance. He was in his nightcloths, loose pants and a short-sleeved shirt. She was in a long, silky shirt open to just below her breasts and a long loose skirt that played around her bare feet. Her black hair hung down her back in a dark curtain.

"Your Highness, I mean Azkadellia--" he stumbled over his words, sounding like an idiot rather than someone who was the Queen's chief advisor.

"When did you become so formal?" she asked raising one dark eyebrow, "you always used to call me Az," she shrugged carelessly, causing the shirt to slip down one shoulder, "silly nickname really," she sighed, "Azkadellia is fine," he nodded as her long fingers played across one of the chairs, "and what's this."

"Its--ah--nothing," he said stepping in between her and the design.

"Nothing?" she asked, "oh Ambrose, you know I hate secrets," she said leaning until she was a hair's breath from him, "more than anything."

He would later tell himself that he just didn't want her to see the half-finished design for the machine, even though it was nothing more than a few lines on paper at the moment. But no matter the reason he kissed her. It was not like their first, tear-soaked kiss, but something drastically different. He was a much better kisser now and she seemed to have learned a trick or too as well because she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back just as passionately. They almost danced across the floor towards the bed. She slid back onto it, he slid on top of her taking his weight onto his forearms. It didn't matter what she had done, or maybe it mattered too much but the feel of her lips on his, her arms around his neck, it felt like coming home.

It was sick and twisted but he couldn't stop it anymore than she could. Sometime in the middle of it, a single tear slid down the side of her face. He kissed it away, murmuring an apology and imagining for a small moment that somewhere deep inside, the Azkadellia he fell in love with was still fighting with everything she had against whatever was enslaving her. Then her lips were against his again and the world just sort of floated away.

**Eight**

He was waiting at the foot of the stairs as they were about to be announced as officially betrothed. He was wearing a dark red coat that made him almost blend with the wallpaper in case he needed to get out quickly to protect her. She appeared at the top of the stairs and he stopped. Her dark eyes held a measure of uncertainty in them. Her dress was more demure than it had been, her hair was swept completely off her back. She looked like the Azkadellia he loved, not the Witch. She descended the staircase and looked up at him with wide, almost fearful eyes but he bent down and kissed the back of her hand before leading her onto the dance floor.

They had learned to dance together (so he had taught her), when they were children and knew how to move together. Her dress was almost bare in the back, his palm like fire against the skin right above her lower back. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. The movements were fluid and graceful, like second nature to the two of them. Which was good because it was not long before he opened his mouth.

"Is it--" he began but she nodded quickly cutting him off.

"I don't think I can hold on much longer," she said looking up at him, "I think she's letting me say goodbye to you."

"Az," he began, looking away as his eyes burned, "don't say that," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"You think I want to?" she demanded, "if this is the last chance I get to say--" she stopped "I want to say goodbye if I can."

"You aren't going anywhere," he said firmly.

"Yes I am," she said, "I've been fighting for so long but there's nothing left," she closed her eyes tightly, "not anymore. You need to help my mother," he opened his mouth, "you have to stay by her side, no matter what. I'd ask you to kill me--"

"No," he burst out.

"I thought not," she sighed, "then you have to fight me, "horror crossed his face, "please, Ambrose--Glitch, whatever you want to be called just fight me. You have to stop me, for the good of the OZ. It's not going to be me in here, not anymore," he shook his head and looked at the smiling faces, feeling anger well up in him.

"This isn't fair," he said, "I just got you back and you're--" he stopped, unable to continue.

"I know but you have to, promise me you'll be with mother, no matter what."

"For as long as I can be, I promise," he said.

She nodded and smiled up at him, like she had when they first met, the smile that went all the way through her eyes.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love your smile?" he said. She blushed rather furiously, "when we first met and you were in that dirty lavender dress, I was so scared of you and then you smiled and i think it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"You didn't get beautiful until you learned to fix your hair," she said dryly. He made a face and she laughed merrily, "I'm joking, even with your cloths to big when I first met you I couldn't take my eyes off you."

"You're making me blush," he said.

"I like making you blush," she said.

"I will find a way to fix this," he said, "even if I have to go to the other world your father came from, I'll get you back," she opened her mouth, "don't say anything, just know I'll never stop fighting for you," she nodded and leaned up.

Their lips touched and they deepened the kiss, whispering 'I love you' against each other's lips. She made a soft sound and when they pulled away, he looked into her eyes that had gone cold. He knew she was gone and something deep inside of him cracked.

"What were you saying?" she asked.

"That you look beautiful," he said.

**Nine**

"I'm sorry my Queen," he said bowing deeply. The Queen looked away in sadness but said nothing as Azkadellia walked forward.

"Take them," she ordered.

Almost instantly he found himself in a dark cell, bars in front of his face. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against the bars, wishing there was some kind of physical pain to take away the ache in his chest. He swore to stay with her mother for as long as he could but the Queen was gone. He swore to fight against her and now she had won. There was nothing really left to fight for, not anymore. The days blended together as time ceased to exist outside of his three walls and the bars of his cell. Then, one day, the door opened and she walked inside, dismissing the guards with a wave of her hand.

"Tell me about the Sun Seeder," she said, "I red about it in this," she held up one of the letters, "but I can't find the plans anywhere."

"I destroyed them," he said crossing his arms.

"Why would you go and do a stupid thing like that?" she demanded, "you really must have a glitch in your brain," she smirked, "well no matter, I'll take what I can get."

"What?" he gasped, horror in his face.

"You heard me," she signaled the guards, "take him," she snapped her fingers, "I'm sorry Glitch but this is the only way."

"You don't mean that,"he got out, "you're not sorry."

"No," she said, "I'm not."

She followed them down the corridor to the medical lab. At the doorway she stopped, facing him. He was held back by three guards, one holding a zap rod that he had invented, even if that was not its original intention. She looked over at the medical technician before glancing back at him and then turning away.

"Take everything," she said, "all his memories past the basics," she said, "I don't want him to remember anything."

"Wha--no!" he cried, "don't do this, please! Az!" she walked over, touching his lip with her finger and lowering her voice so that he could barely hear her, "don't do this," he begged before his voice was cut off.

"It's better this way," she said, "you were nice to me, consider it my parting gift to you, you can just hate me and forget this foolish romance."

"It was not foolish," he hissed, "you old bat! You let her go!"

"Hush now," she put her lips to his ear so that only he could hear her, "this will kill her even faster, knowing you hate her. I'll make sure she knows it."

"No!" he screamed desperately, "no!" then the guards were pulling him into the operating table.

**Ten**

He was drowning. People were scrambling and a voice was begging him to hold on, not to die. He frowned, he was not going to die. And then everything went white. First he could hear.

"What do you want us to do with the brain?"

"Is it preserved?"

"Of course."

"Keep it that way, if its damaged at all you will suffer a fate far worse than death."

"What about Ambrose?"

He heard nothing but silence for a moment, Ambrose? What an odd name. Was he Ambrose? He couldn't remember and felt panic burst through him. Something started to beep loudly and he heard people scrambling before the threatening voice ordered them out.

"Glitch," the voice said, "your name is Glitch. You need to calm down so one day you can make this alright," he breathed in deeply, trying to calm down, "the door is unlocked, you need to get out of here and run as far and fast as you can alright? Take the third staircase from the right, its unguarded. Go tonight, do you understand me?"

"Yes," he said.

"Good."

There was the softest touch of a pair of familiar lips on his own. He wished he could remember those lips, he knew them from somewhere but he didn't know where. Squeezing his eyes shut he forced them open. He was on a hospital bed, a clean one thankfully. His head was throbbing but there was no time to think about that. He grabbed the cloths and stopped. Where was he supposed to go or do? He glanced down and saw there were orders written on his hand. He yanked on the cloths and shoved the money into his pocket before running out the door, down the third staircase and into the night. All around him the world was coming down but he kept running down the brick route.

He touched his cheek and frowned.

He didn't remember crying.

**Okay so that's the story. Two songs that inspired it were:**

**Apologize (Timbaland feat. OneRepublic) - basically the whole story**

**So Close (Jon McLaughlin) - the ball scene**


	2. Breathe by Greenwheel

_Andrew looked around the small house he now lived in and closed his eyes as agony swarmed through his body. He had unpacked the few things he had managed to grab when he ran away, putting each up made the situation a bit more real, the pain even sharper. Reaching into his bag he stopped as his hands collided with an object wrapped in cloth. Pulling it out he found two dolls with black hair, one wearing a red dress and one wearing a green dress. He could feel magic in the dolls, the signature of his daughters. Breathing in, he felt pain in his chest, like his heart was being ripped out. The dolls fell harmlessly onto the bed as he finally broke down and sobbed. _

_Last night he had ran to his balloon, his youngest daughter asleep in his arms. His wife was with him, probably for the last time. They had used the balloon because any kind of magic would have alerted Azkadellia to their presence. He climbed into the balloon and his wife passed their youngest daughter into his arms._

_"Be careful," she begged, "I don't know how the crossing is going to be for her," her voice broke, "it may be hard," she closed her eyes._

_"We will be," he vowed, "I promise. You take care too."_

_"I will," she said looking at him with bravery she did not feel. _

_He nodded and started the process of lifting off. She touched his hand until it finally pulled free. His last view of his wife was of her burying her face in her advisor's shirt and sobbing. _

_They found a farmhouse in Kansas and set it up. He activated the two drones and set them up as best he could. Then he went to say goodbye to his daughter, the spell sealed in a sphere tightly in his hand. She was sitting on the bed in the attic, half asleep with a fever and the chills. He did not want to do this to her but he knew he had to. She opened her bright blue eyes and looked at him with the trust and love he did not deserve._

_"Daddy?" she whispered, her voice full of fear, "I'm scared."_

_"I know you are," he said leaning down, "I'm scared too baby but everything's going to be fine, I promise."_

_"Where's mommy and Az?" she asked._

_"Mommy and Az are fine," he said, "I've got something that's going to make you feel better," he said holding up the blue sphere, "just hold on tight okay?" she nodded hugging him as he gently opened the sphere and let the light cover his daughter. She stiffened and then fell asleep in his arms. He laid her down and stood up, hiding in the shadows. DG suddenly sat up with a cry of terror._

_"Daddy!" she screamed. He started forward but the drone raced upwards, "Daddy?" her voice was unsure. He nodded and took her in his arms, "Daddy I had a bad dream!"_

_"Its okay baby," he said, the same way Andrew would have, "I'm here now, everything is okay."_

_He tore out of the house as fast as he could and didn't breath until he was back in his house unpacking. And now he was on the floor in front of the one real proof that his life hadn't been a dream, sobbing his heart out for his family which he had sworn to protect and failed horribly. When he finally passed out from exhaustion, he did not dream so much as remembered. _

Lavender, Princess of the Outer Zone, raced down the hallway as fast as her slippered feet would take her. Tears streamed down her face but she made no move to wipe them off as she ran. Reaching up behind her she tore the net that held her raven hair back off and threw it down behind her. The thick cape, elaborately embroidered and trimmed with fur, was torn off next, its heavy clasp ripped in half as the Princess fumbled with it through her tears. Her slippers were torn off as she hesitated just long enough to rip off the dreadfully painful shoes before running as fast as she could.

She burst through the doors of the palace with a choked gasp and kept running. She wove her way through the maze as fast as she could, the branches that were untrimmed nicking at her arms. FInally she burst through the maze and into the clearing by the lake of Finaqua. Pounding up the stairs of the gazebo she didn't notice her feet were tangled in the hem of her gown until they caught and her hip collided painfully with the stone floor. Letting out a strangled sob, the Princess of the Outer Zone collapsed against the floor and sobbed desperately.

How could she have been so stupid not to know her parents were going to force a man on her? The Queen said she was getting older, she needed to take a husband soon and this neighboring Duke would be perfect. The palace was all excited, she should have known something was going on. Lavender had taken one look at the man and promptly tore out of the room, all the lessons on deportment, flying from her head. It was only a matter of time before her mother came up and dragged her back, making her look like the doll she was not and forcing her to be polite to the next in a long line of faceless suitors.

"Your Highness?"

"Captain Lonot," Lavender looked at the young warrior with her tear filled eyes.

"Are you al--" he stopped, "get back."

"What?" Lavender struggled to her feet and sidestepped the Captain's arm, peering around the side of him.

There was a balloon hovering in the sky, sinking rapidly towards the earth. Lavender sucked in her breath. She had never seen anything quite like the balloon that hovered in the bright sky. Careful to pick up her skirts, she walked down the gazebo ignoring Lonot's protests. Spellbound she looked up at the balloon, shading her eyes with one hand. If nothing else the balloon would give her some time to think of a way to make things better with her mother and avoid the new suitor. The balloon just seemed to get bigger and bigger as it slowly landed down on the lawn right in front of Lavender's feet.

"Your Highness!" Lonot shouted but she waved him off and walked over to the basket.

Suddenly she found herself covered in orange and white fabric as the balloon fully deflated. Lifting her hands up, Lavender pulled the fabric up and approached the basket. Using one hand to keep the fabric above her head, she peered inside and felt her eyes widen further as she dropped the fabric in her surprise and covered her mouth with her hands. After a moment, she cautiously walked forward again and gently lifted up the fabric once more, checking to see if her eyes had deceived her. Obviously they had not because the man inside the basket was still there. Letting the fabric drop to the ground Lavender bent down and ripped a long tear in her skirts, allowing her freedom of some kind. Slinging one leg over the basket she pulled herself up and rolled over the other side, landing on her tip toes and gently easing herself down.

The man was handsome in a way that she had never seen before. He was wearing pants, a shirt and a vest, not at all dressed for the weather. His blond hair was cut close to his skull and his face was clean shaven, his skin darkened by the weather. His eyes were shut and there was a serene look on his face. Feeling fear inside her she dropped to her knees and turned him over to see if he was alive. One of his hands snapped out and grabbed her slender wrist, his eyes opening enough so she could see how dark they were, so unlike her own lavender ones. His consciousness lasted for barely a breath before the man went horribly still. Bending down Lavender pressed her ear to his chest and was rewarded with the sound of his steady beating heart.

"Lonot!" she shouted.

"Your Highness are you alright?!" Lonot shouted back to her.

"I'm fine, but there's a man in here!" she called back, "come here and help me lift him!"

He obliged her and brought the man to the healers. They put him in dry cloths and said there was very little they could do considering the man was like nothing they had seen before. So Lavender had taken it upon herself to save the man. She had gotten warm blankets and made sure the fire was high before sitting in a chair by the bed and not moving despite her parent's pleas. He was still freezing cold by dawn's first light and she knew that if he did not get warm soon he was going to die. So, Lavender, the Princess of the Outer Zone stood up and looked at her charge.

"I will not let you die," she said firmly.

Reaching up she undid the ties around her dress and let it fall to the floor, standing there in only her thin chemise. She unbuttoned the man's shirt and wrapped her arms around him, using the heat from her own body to warm him. It may have been hot under the blankets but it was not nearly as hot as the heat that rose in her face. She had never been any kind of naked with a man before but something drove her to save the man in her arms. The fact she had stayed up all night watching him finally got the better of her and she was about to close her eyes when she felt him stir. Looking up she saw his eyes struggle to open and finally succeed. He seemed confused at first and then he looked down at the sleepy Princess in his arms with surprise written all over his face.

"Hello," she said looking up at him.

"You're beautiful," he murmured sleepily, his finger trailing down her arm before he drifted off to sleep again, positive he had been dreaming.

_He opened his eyes for a fraction of a second to see someone standing there, their face hidden. When he blinked they were gone. Rolling over he told himself he was dreaming before drifting off._

"Hello."

Lavender lowered the book from her face and glanced up to see the man approaching the swing. He had been cleaned up and was wearing a pair of pants and a simple dark blue shirt that brought out his eyes. She licked her lips and tried to keep the blush from her face. The two had not spoken since he had woken up and called her beautiful. No-one had ever called her beautiful before but she had never been half naked in a bed with another man before. Since he had recovered she had avoided him like the plague. How was she supposed to face him after what had happened?

"Hello," she said, forcing herself to be polite. She laid the book on her lap and looked at him with her eyes, "how are you feeling?"

"Confused," he said scratching the back of his neck, "I feel like I'm in a dream."

"A dream?" she cocked her head to the side, "you came here half dead in a basket carried by a massive balloon," she frowned thoughtfully, "where are you from exactly?"

"Exactly? Nebraska," he said, "I was helping a friend out at the state fair when there was a wind," he frowned, "I don't remember much until I saw you," she blushed furiously, "I wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome," she said, "are you going to stay in the Outer Zone for a while?" she asked after a moment.

"Well they can't really figure out how to send me back, so yeah," he shrugged, "I'll be around for a while."

"I'm glad," she smiled standing up. His eyes sparkled with amusement, "its hard enough keeping you alive when you're close," he laughed and shook his head, realizing he was being teased. Carefully she stood up and walked down the gazebo, knowing she was needed back at the palace in a little while.

"Wait," he reached out and touched her arm. She felt the sparks through the thin cloth as she turned her head to see him, "I don't know your name," he said.

"It's Lavender," she said softly looking up at him.

For a moment that lasted far too long they just looked at each other. They were literally worlds apart, normally. But at the moment they were just two people lost in each other's eyes. She was sure he was going to kiss her and a thousand thoughts went through her head which she quickly silenced. His hand did not leave her forearm which was tingling were he touched her like sparks were going off. He was looking at her like he was trying to memorize her face.

"Your Highness?"

They jumped apart like they had been burned and turned to see one of the maids who was little more than a child stammer out an apology and that Lavender's mother, the Queen, needed her. Lavender nodded and walked after the maid quickly before she bit her lip and touched the maid's shoulder signaling her to stop. Turning around, she shielded her eyes with her hand and looked back at the Gazebo.

"What's yours?!" she called back to him.

"What's my what?" he called back, nether daring to come closer.

"Your name!" she called back.

"Andrew!" he called back.

She nodded and turned on her heel to follow the maid down the grass and back towards the palace. Andrew leaned against the side of the gazebo and watched Lavender's retreating back with a small smile playing across his lips. Silhouetted against the sunlight he saw her turn her head to look back at him and he waved. She quickly looked forward again as if she had been expecting him not to notice she had looked back at him. Smiling Andrew shook his head and reached up to rub the back of his neck. He felt like had fallen asleep into a fairytale. The question he had to answer was did he ever want to wake up?

_Adora breathed out and eased herself around the corner. She had to do this for the Queen, for a past she had left behind that even her husband did not know about. She held the strange device in her hands and then she spotted the dolls on the bed. Reaching past him she grabbed the dolls and held them out._

"You're joking," she accused him, her eyes shining with amusement.

"I'm not," he said with a shrug.

"Its a box and you can see things in it," she looked around, "and you people spend time watching it? But what about the rest of the world? What about real life?" he shrugged, "well the Inner Zone does not seam that bad. You know they tell us stories about the Inner Zone all the time but you make it sound wonderful, not that scary--" she smiled, "maybe a little dull."

"Dull?" he grinned, "I wouldn't say that," he said

"Do you have a King there?" she asked, "or a Queen?"

"We have a lot of them," he said, "where I"m from we have a President," she cocked her head to the side, "we pick a new one every four years."

"No royal family?" she questioned. He shook his head, "now I now you're just teasing me."

"No I'm serious," he said, "there are many royal families, some of them change a lot and some of them are like yours," he shrugged, "its a different world."

"Oh really?" she asked sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows.

"Now you're teasing me," he said. She laughed and shook her head.

Andrew shook his head, wondering how he had become friends with a Princess. Well maybe friends was not the right word for what they were but they enjoyed each other's company enough to seek it out. He was no a fool, he saw the looks the King and Queen gave him. he knew that he was not supposed to be there in the first place and he was definitely not supposed to be spending all the time he was with Lavender. But when he was with the Princess it was hard to care what anyone, even her parents, thought of him and them. As long as she was willing to be with him he was more than willing to take a few glares in order to stay in her company.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern flickering in her eyes, "you look like your a million miles away."

"Its nothing," he said giving her a reassuring smile as he dragged his eyes back to hers.

"Do you miss your home?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he admitted, "sometimes I miss it, other times not so much," she looked down and he frowned, concern on his face, "what is it?"

"Did you have a family back there?" she asked after a moment, "I know its none of my business but you never mention them and so I just thought I'd ask if you had one--someone to go back to?"

"Uh not really," he said, "I've lived with my uncle most of my life, never really knew my parents. I mean sure I've got a life back there but its not like--" he stopped and looked away before turning his eyes to her,"like its one I couldn't leave behind."

The implications of his words sung through the air, hanging heavy between them. She had no idea what she was supposed to do at the moment. Well, she knew, she had heard the maids talking but still. There seemed to be no air in the room, in fact there seemed to be no Outer Zone either. Her heart, which had been pounding furiously a few seconds before had gone quiet. She heard someone clearing their throat and spun around to see Captain Lonot standing there, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Your Highness, but your parents have requested your company," he said bowing, "in the throne room."

"Thank you Captain," she said, "bye Andrew," she said turning to go, "thank you for the wonderful stories."

She walked away, cursing the fact that the only thing she could say to him was thank you for your stories. Princess Lavender had not felt so silly since she had tripped over her gown when she was six at a ball. She did not see Captain Lonot glare at Andrew and walked over, his hand on his sword. The young man back up against the wall as the older one walked towards him.

"I don't know where you've come from but I'm not buying the Inner Zone story," he hissed.

"Funny, I'm not selling it," Andrew said as his back hit the wall.

"She is a Princess, you are nothing," Captain Lonot said, "those Dukes may not have had a lot to offer her but they still offered her something. Not that your stories aren't enjoyable."

"She thanked me fro them."

"That is not funny," Captain Lonot hissed, "I have sworn to protect the ruler of the Outer Zone. She is the future ruler of the Outer Zone and falls under my protection. I will protect her even from you," he glared at him. "especially from you."

_Adora saw the desk, right next to where he was sleeping and smiled. Perfect. She walked over and cleared a space silently. Placing the odd device on the desk she found a space for the dolls as well and arranged them so they were holding hands and watching over their father._

He was lying on his bed, thinking of nothing in particular when someone knocked on his door. He sighed and hoped they would just go away, he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone at the moment. However the person would not go away. They just kept knocking. Finally he groaned and walked over to the door, figuring that he was about to be faced with Captain Lonot again. Opening his mouth to insult him he opened the door and was faced with an empty hallway. Raising his eyebrows he looked around. There was nothing there but, then again, he knew that did not mean that someone wasn't there. He shook his head and leaned against the wall.

"You can come out Princess, I know you're there."

She came out the shadows slowly, casting off the magic she was wearing like a dress. She stood there dressed in a simple shift, her robe tied firmly around her waist. Her dark hair hung loose around her face and even if she had been asleep she did not show any signs of it. Shifting her feet as if she had done something wrong she carefully looked up at him. Her eyes widened and she looked down again, heat rising in her cheeks. People in the Inner Zone wore very different nightcloths that consisted of little more than pants. He didn't seem to understand where her reaction was coming from because he frowned and stared forward.

"Is something wrong?"

"You're--" she broke off and motioned at his chest.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong but I think you've seen it before," he said.

"That was different!" she cried, her eyes full of indignation, "you-you were dying! I had no choice and--" she stopped, realizing she had come closer and went to take a step back."

"I'm sorry," he said, "is there something you needed?"

"To talk?" she said weakly, her voice coming out like a question more than a request. He shrugged and walked inside, holding the door open for her, "my parents said they found a way to get you home. There's this experimental technology, they're calling it a Travel Storm because it looks like a storm that spins--" she looked up at him, "are you going to go home?"

"Huh?" he stopped, "I--uh--I hadn't thought about it," he said, fumbling over his words like a schoolboy, "I don't know," he finished lamely, "do you want me to go?" he asked.

"Well its not up to me," she said, "its your life."

"I know," he said, 'but that doesn't answer my question."

"I don't know how to answer your question!" she cried, her voice rising before she realized that someone hearing them was a bad idea, "no-one asks me my opinion. No-one makes me blush or feel like an idiot, no-one tells me stories or, or," she stopped.

"Or calls you beautiful?" he suggested.

"Yes," she said, her voice just as soft.

"Or gets your heart racing," he continued walking forward until she was backed up against the wall, but slow enough to give her enough time to run, "or wakes up with you in their arms?" he was up against her, "or kisses you?"

He gently pressed his lips against hers. She stiffened under the kiss like a scared butterfly and he thought that she was going to start to cry or run away or do something violent. So when she gently touched her smooth hand to his face he felt himself break and knew that he was not leaving if he could help it. When her hand slowly slid around the back of his neck and pulled him closer, a small sound coming from the back of her throat, he knew that he wasn't leaving if they wanted to drag him out by his hair. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer, parting her lips with his own. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he knew that he wanted her to be the last woman he ever saw.

They broke apart breathing harshly, their eyes locked. She moved first, ducking her head and fleeing the room like she had been burned. He stopped, not going after her and wondering why his feet were locked to the ground. She was gone before he jerked out of his stupor. He ran a hand through his hair wondering what the hell had just happened.

_Adora carefully made her way over to the ladder and climbed up, leaving the Consort, the dolls and the device together. Sliding over the top of the house she walked over to her horse and climbed on. She had to hurry if she was going to make it back before Wyatt knew she had gone. He had not joined the resistance yet but she had a feeling it was only a matter of time. She hoped he joined soon so she did not have to keep such secrets from him. _

"Your Majesties," he said bobbing in an odd sort of bow.

He had been summoned tot he throne room the next morning and was not sure at all what the hell he was supposed to do. The Queen and Prince Consort were at the throne, looking like they had stepped out of a painting. Next to them, looking as if she had not slept at all last night, was Lavender. She looked at a spot by his shoulder, refusing to meet his eyes the same way his girlfriend had when she told him that she was leaving him for his friend. He had an unsettling feeling that he was about to be just as floored as then.

"Thank you for coming," the Queen said, her eyes on his, "we have found a way to send you home," he opened and then closed his mouth, "we can have you home in an hour."

Floored was not at all the right word. Numb, painfully numb, was the right word. He had no idea what Lavender's parents had said to her but she looked as if she was going to fall to the ground any second. Finally she dragged her eyes to his and a single tear escaped, trailing down her cheek. She looked away just as sharply and got to her feet. Her parents said nothing as she got to her feet and ran out of the room. He started forward but Lonot stopped him with his arm, his eyes glaring at him. It took two seconds for Andrew to slam his fist into Lonot, throwing the man to the ground and stepping over him, running after Lavender.

"Lavender!" he shouted looking for her. One of the maids, the one who was a child, the one who had gotten her and interrupted their kiss, point down the hallway quickly. Nodding his thanks he took off in the direction and ran after the Princess. He heard her footsteps and a door slam and quickly raced down the hallway, yanking open the door and finding himself at the entrance to the maze, "you have got to be kidding me," he began to swear before taking off down the maze. He got lost and cut and finally found himself at the end of the maze. Running forward he raced towards the gazebo, wondering why the hell he kept coming back there, "Lavender!" he ran up the stairs. She was on the ground by the swing, crying like her heart was breaking, "Lavender," he fell to his knees beside her.

"No!" she sobbed, "no don't touch me! You're leaving," she sobbed, her words barely audible, "you're going back to your life and your uncle and I'll be all alone here again!" she dissolved into tears again.

He grabbed her and pulled her against his chest, despite the fact that she was struggling and he'd probably have a few fist-shaped bruises the next day. Her hands knotted in his cloths and her tears soaked his shirt but he held on tightly, murmuring nonsense to her as she cried like her heart was breaking. He had kissed her, sure and he knew he didn't want to leave but having her crying in his arms made him think that want was no longer an issue, it was an issue of can't. He could not leave her, he couldn't, not after this.

"I'm not going anywhere," he vowed, "I'm staying right here with you."

"You can't," she said looking up at him, "you heard my mother--"

"I didn't hear you," he said, "do you want me to leave?"

"No! but--" she stopped, "but we aren't supposed to--"

"Maybe we are," he said, "maybe we're supposed to be together. Maybe I got up in that balloon and i was supped to be brought here. Maybe I was supposed to wake up with the most beautiful woman in two worlds in my arms. Maybe I wasn't but it happened and I don't want to loose you. Not because of your parents or Captain Lonot or anyone else," she threw her arms around him, taking them both to the ground in a heap of petticoats.

Upstairs in the tower the Queen smiled at the sight of the young man and her daughter. She looked over at her Prince Consort, a man who her parents had chosen for her and who, despite having a daughter with, she had never truly loved. He had been her advisor, her friend and the man entrusted with protecting her life. Things had worked out nicely for her but nice sometimes wasn't enough. She looked down at her daughter and knew that she wanted more for her than she had. She wanted her daughter to be loved.

"Your Majesty?" she heard Captain Lonot, his voice tight with pain, "what are you orders."

"I think the Travel Storm still has some work to do," she said turning around to face the man and see disappointment flare in his eyes, "I should wait a bit before trying to send any people."

"But you will try, again?" he said, his voice full of something the Queen couldn't put a finger on.

"No," she said looking at her daughter and the man she loved, "no, I think not," she sighed, "Lavender is more than capable of ruling," she looked at the dark bruise forming on Lonot's face, "and he is more than capable of protecting her," he glared and the Queen felt herself smile, "bring me my daughter and the ma--" her husband mouthed his name, 'and Andrew."

A minuet later her daughter and Andrew were in front of her, both looking like a complete wreck. She noticed how their hands were tight around each others and doubted that if she had the entire palace guard on her side she couldn't pry the two apart. She walked forward, the Prince Consort at her side. She saw her daughter's grip on the man's hand tighten and tried to keep the smile off her face.

"We have a word here, for men like you," she said looking at him, "Ahamo, a man who is blinded by emotion among other things," she looked at him, "there are many good reasons why you should be going back to--"

"Nebraska," he supplied.

"Nebraska," she said, "but I love my daughter in a way that you will not understand until you have children of your own. Parents do things that others may question, they sacrifice everything including their own happiness for their children," she stopped and looked at the two of them silently for a moment, "before calling the young maid from before forward, "Adora," she said, "show Andrew down to the seamstress," she said, "no Consort of the Royal Family is going to be walking around looking like that."

Lavender threw her arms around Andrew, their lips colliding. The Queen smiled and stepped back, watching the joy and love on her daughter's face. When they finally broke apart her daughter walked over and hugged her mother.

"Thank you," she said seriously.

"I want you to be happy," the Queen said touching her daughter's face before looking at Andrew, "I don't know how things work where you come from but if you so much as hurt my daughter I will send you to a place that makes Nebraska look like heaven," he nodded as Adora gently led him off to get new cloths.

Unseen, Major Lonot glared furiously. This was only going to end in tragedy, that much he knew. He turned and glared behind him to see a boy with bright blue eyes regarding him suspiciously as if he knew that the man was up to no good. He glared at the boy who just glared right back, one hand tight around the toy horse he held. Finally Lonot looked away, that boy was going to be trouble, he knew that much.

"Wyatt Cain where are you!" someone shouted.

With a last vicious glance at Lonot the little boy ran off and Lonot turned and walked in the other direction, feeling this would not be the last time he tangled with Wyatt Cain.

_When Andrew woke up he rolled over on his side to see the two dolls on his desk. He didn't remember putting them there but there they were, looking at him as if they were watching over him. The device to find the Grey Gale was on his desk as well. He knew that someone from the resistance had put it there. Smiling he brushed his hands over the dolls, having a very good idea who it was. Standing up, he pulled on cloths and walked out of the small house into the bright morning light. _

_He had a family to save. _

**Okay I couldn't resist. Those two needed a story. Listen to Breathe by Greenwheel when you listen to this. I thought the song fitted the story very well. **


	3. I won't Say I'm in Love by Cheyrl Freema

With a crack, Airofday, better known as Day, swung her staff around into his and brought her leg behind his, kicking his legs out from under him and pointing her staff at his neck. She frowned and dropped to her knees, straddling her chest. To anyone else the gesture would have looked very sexual and that was not really too far from the truth considering the two had been sleeping together for about a month. At the moment though, sex was the last thing on Day's mind. She had just beaten Jeb which was not the rarest thing but it was pretty rare considering he usually won their sparring sessions. Jeb had been acting very very odd lately and she had no idea why. The entire palace was full of excitement for the impending nuptials of Azkadellia and Ambrose. The excitement was even getting to her which was rare considering she usually hated weddings.

"Uh 'Day?" he asked realizing there were other people in the room, "not that this isnt--"

"You're acting weird," she said cutting him off.

"Can we talk about this later?" he asked looking around.

"No," she said sitting back on his abdomen, "if we talk about this later you're going to avoid it like you have been. So we can talk about this right now," he shifted his weight to throw her off but she shifted her weight right back and remained straddling him, "why are you acting weird?"

"I'm not acting weird," he argued pushing himself up on his elbows, "I've just got a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" she asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said looking away.

"Are you kidding me?" she glared down at him, "you've been able to tell me everything else but suddenly you don't wan to talk," she pushed him down and pinned his arms, "what's wrong?" she repeated, "does this have anything to do with the argument that you and Jack were having the other day."

"How did you--"

"I was in the other room remember? I didn't hear what you were yelling about but I heard you yelling. You should just go apologize to Jack if its bothering you this much."

"It's not about Jack," he sighed and looked away before looking back at her, "My father asked DG to marry him," she raised her eyebrows.

"And thats a surprise why? I hate to be the one to tell you this but when two people fall in love they get married."

"I know that," he said, "but he asked her to marry him and they haven't said one word to me. I know I'm not their kid--" she snorted holding back laughter, "but I'm his son. You'd think he'd--I don't know--tell me or something."

"So you aren't mad they're getting married," she stated.

"Of course not," he said, "I see the way he looks at her. I know they're in love--even if he's stupid enough to wait until she's about to die to tell her--and I knew he was going to ask but still," he stopped, "I don't know, I don't know what I think," he sighed, "I sound like an idiot."

"No more than usual," she said climbing off him, "I think you should talk to them."

"Huh?" he pushed himself up, "that's a bad idea."

"Men," she shook her head, "talk to them, ask your father why," she shook her head, "give him the ring you've got hidden in your drawer that you finger every time you put on your socks. I don't know but if you keep carrying this around you're going to keep acting like a little girl," she put her staff away and turned to him, "and I don't sleep with little girls."

He wasn't sure which part of the statement he disliked more. The part where she wasn't going to sleep with him or the part where he was acting like a little girl. He knew she was right, that this would eat through him again unless he went and talked to the two of them. Dropping his staff he walked over to the fighting area and grabbed his shirt he threw it over his head and walked back to his room. Digging into his sock drawer he found the ring. He didn't think Day saw him playing with it but of course she had. He had kept the ring because it was a family heirloom on his father's side. It seemed wrong that it was buried in the ground with his mother since she had told him that one day he should give it to the woman he loved. Since he didn't have one of those he figured he'd give it to his father since he found someone he loved.

He found them in the throne room where Ambrose was trying to teach them how to do a specific, complicated dance. It was some wedding nonsense that was being insisted on though he knew the monarchs would much rather just get married in a simple way. For a minuet he just leaned against the door and watched his father and DG get more and more frustrated. Finally one of them spotted him and beckoned him over, more as an excuse to get out of the torture than anything else. He wasn't sure he could handle the two of them at the same time so he randomly grabbed his father first and hauled him off.

"What's going on?" Cain asked.

"I know," Jeb said. Something flared in Cain's eyes, "Jack had been acting weird around me, I forced him to tell me what is was and he told me. According to Day I've bee sulking for the past week, or as she puts it, 'acting like a little girl' and I wouldn't say anything if that statement hadn't been followed by her saying that she doesn't sleep with little girls. So I wanted to tell you that I know."

"I was going to tell you," Cain said, "I just wasn't sure how to."

"How about saying 'son I've asked DG to marry me because I love her'?" he suggested, "she doesn't have a ring."

"It was kind of an impulsive thing," he said, "I just kind of asked her. We haven't told anyone yet, even Azkadellia doesn't know. Jack only found out because he was in the room when I asked her to," Cain trailed off when Jeb held out his hand, "where did you get that?"

"Mom gave it to me," he said, "she said one day I should give it to the woman I love, like you gave it to mom," he held it out, "I don't have anyone I love, not yet."

"What about Airofday."

"We're sleeping together, we don't love each other," he said,"maybe one day," he shrugged, "not today. You love DG," he continued, "anyone can see that. You love her and you should propose to her, properly," he dropped his voice, "but I'd ask Ahamo's permission first, I heard he threatened Ambrose within an inch of his life and I think he'd probably kill you if you tried to marry the Princess without his permission."

"Within and inch of his life huh?" Cain said.

"He threatened to drop him from his balloon," Jeb said taking his father's hand, "this ring doesn't deserve to be remembered as a symbol of lost love," he put the ring in his father's hand, "the past is over, you shouldn't forget it but you shouldn't be stuck in it either."

"When did you get so smart?" Cain asked pulling his son into a gruff hug.

"Who says I haven't been this smart all along?" Jeb asked hugging his father, "now I've got to go talk to DG," he said.

"Huh?"

"Well she is my future step-mom," he said with a shrug, "and what kind of step-son would i be if I didn't give her a hard time," he smiled, "besides someone's got to get you ready."

"Ready for what?" Cain demanded.

"For when you two give me a sister or brother," he said rolling his eyes and walking over to DG, "can I talk to you?" she nodded.

DG could count the times on one hand when she had talked to Jeb Cain. Most of what she knew about him came from other people. In the month since the Battle of the Norther Isles Jeb had been knighted, named Captain of the Guards and gotten the bandages removed from his face. He had stubbornly refused any healing spells, stating that the scar was a reminder of what had been lost--and what had been gained in his life. At the moment the scar was an angry reddish purple but she knew that would fade with time. Jeb and her walked over to a more secluded part of the ballroom.

"How's the dance going?" he asked. DG made a face in response, "that bad huh?" for a moment they were both silent, "I know," he said lamely.

"You know," she repeated.

"I beat it out of Jack," he said, "I wouldn't have said anything but Airofday threatened to never sleep with me again and told me I was acting like a child so," he motioned vaguely, "I just wanted to tell you I know."

"Are you alright with it?" DG asked, her voice soft, "i know its really soon and all--"

"I know you love him," he said, "you know when you go into that suite you're not supposed to come out again. I know how he felt when he came out, the world had changed so much--" he shook his head, "I think anyone who comes out is pretty broken. Its a terrible thing to be broken, not knowing how to feel when every thing you thought you were is split into a million little pieces," he looked at DG seriously, "but those little pieces start coming together, bit by bit. They don't come back the same though. They come back differently. Who knows, if I had never gone in that suite I probably would have lived my life as a farmer or something. What I'm saying, obviously not very well, is that I think it's great my dad is marrying you."

"You do?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"I do," he said nodding, "but I'm not calling you step-mom or anything," he said with a shake of his head.

"Please don't," DG said.

"Oh and I might have suggested he go and ask your father for permission. I know that you're supposed to do that."

"Am I supposed to do that?" she asked.

"I don't think so," he said sputtering, "but, uh, yes you can marry my dad," he shook his head, "I'm not threatening you though."

"Thank you," she said, "and you should go apologize to Airofday. If you don't want her to think of you like a little girl," DG said.

"You sound," he began at her puzzled look, "you sound like a mom."

"Well we're going to hold off on that for a bit," she said, "the seamstress wants to kill Az as it is--kill her or throw her in a dress full of ruffles that hides everything but her face," she made a face, "how she's going to kiss Ambrose at the wedding I have no idea. Its stupid really, she's like a month pregnant and you can't see anything," she shook her head, "well you should go talk to Airofday," she looked around, "where'd Cain go?"

"He probably went to talk to your father," Jeb said with a shake of his head.

"Oh no," she groaned a Ambrose walked over, "why don't we wait for Cain to get back?"

He walked off to find Airofday. He had no idea where she was. Sleeping with a Witch was hard work sometimes. See DG and Azkadellia were given Royal Power, an ancient kind of power that was honed and perfected. They had been trained since a young age and had a lot of control. Day's power was a bit less predictable but still very powerful When she had started to use magic again, it was like when someone started crying. It started out as a trickle of tears and suddenly it was like the floodgates were open. After she had used travels storms to get most of the army back she had suddenly become very very powerful. He did not want to get turned into something nasty.

"Day?" he asked peering around the corner, "Day?"

She was talking to some guard. To Jeb's eyes it looked like she was flirting. She had changed into the long white robes that denoted her as a Witch. Of course being Day she had made a few alterations. The robe was not normally backless and it did not normally have a long slit up the side. To Jeb's eyes it looked like she was using that robe and her long dark hair which was hanging down her back to flirt with the guard. Jeb had never been jealous before. He had never really had anyone to be jealous about before. But there was absolutely no other name for the ugly feeling that coiled inside him watching as Day flicked an errant lock of hair behind her ear.

"Excuse me," Jeb said stepping in as the guard leaned closer.

The guard stepped back from the rather angry looking Captain of the Guards. The scar on Jeb's eye only made him look far more frightening. The guard nodded, stammered out an apology and fled the room. Airofday crossed her arms and glared right back at Jeb, raising one eyebrow before turning to go. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her weight took the two of them back against the wall where he quickly reversed their positions, using his arms to pin her to the wall. She smirked and ducked nimbly under him.

"Nice try Cain," she said.

"Cain?" he demanded, "no-one calls me Cain, my father is Cain I'm Jeb--"

"Are you going to tell me you're not a child?" she asked looking over her shoulder.

"Yes," he said, belatedly realizing how stupid that sounded. She laughed and shook her head before walking off, "damn it," he swore punching the wall.

That night Azkadellia was sitting combing out her hair. DG had just told her about her secret engagement to Cain, that they were waiting for the right time to tell everyone else. Azkadellia had congratulated her and promised not to threaten Cain again. Her room had become a complete mess in the wake of her return from the Battle of the Northern Isles. Despite her parent's objections Ambrose had moved into her room. He had practically been living there anyway but not it was no secret.

Her room had never been incredibly clean or neat or organized but now it was a downright wreck. Her books on law and history were all over, a few she had thrown across the room in frustration. His books on math and inventions were equally scattered. The only book that was in a place of real honor was the book on ancient tax law that held the letters he had written to her long ago. A few of his inventions were int he room as well, though most of them were back in his workshop. Her dresses were all over the place too, along with his own cloths, which were usually discarded the second they got into the room.

While she combed out her hair Ambrose was on the bed, a few books scattered around him as he studied some idea for a new contraption. Finally he stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're father is very very protective," he said with a groan.

"Did he threaten you?" she demanded and let out a frustrated sigh, "he's making up for lost time and to him that means being horribly overprotective," she closed her eyes, "what'd he threaten you with?"

"He told me he'd drop me off his balloon," he moaned, "after he removed all of my brain this time."

"He what?!" Azkadellia sat up with horror, "I'm going to yell at him tomorrow."

"He's just worried about you," he said, "but you should hear what he said to Cain," he shook his head, "lets just say it involved a tin suite, his hat and it was not at all pleasant."

"Ouch," she shook her head, "we really do need to speak to him about that balloon."

Said man with the balloon walked into the room he shared with Lavender and hit the bed with the same sound his future son-in-law had made only a few minuets earlier. Lavender smiled at her husband and tried not to laugh at the total weariness in his face. Standing up smoothly, she walked over to him and sat down on the bed before lying down as well facing him. He rolled onto his back and sighed opening his eyes and looking down at the woman he had loved for more years or annuls than he could count. He could hardly remember his life before her, did not want to remember it.

"You look half dead," Lavender teased.

"I just had two men ask to marry our daughters," he said, "two in one day. And I think I'm going to get yelled at tomorrow by them. I mean honestly there should be some kind of manual or something for doing this. Not to mention they shouldn't be doing it at all. They shouldn't be thinking about boys--"

"Until they're grown up?"

"I was going to say ever," he said.

"Well I think we're probably making up for lost time," she said, "they're still managing to drive us crazy," she looked up at him, "and soon we'll have grandchildren running around here."

"Grandchildren?" he groaned, "we're too young for grandchildren," he said playing with a lock of her grey hair, "they're too young to be having children of their own anyway," she shook her head and laughed, "what? we are way too young to be having grandchildren. It seems like yesterday they were running around the palace getting into freakishly large amounts of trouble. We were just starting to get over that and now we've got to do it all over again," he sighed, "can you imagine a kid with Azkadellia's power and Ambrose's--well--mind? Or DG and Cain? I don't even want to think about how much havoc is going to be wrecked."

"Daddy!" they both heard DG's scream. Only instead of fear it was of anger. A second later the youngest princess was standing at their open doors, a look of pure indignation on her face, "what did you tell Cain?!" she demanded.

"Nothing," Ahamo began weakly.

"Nothing? Nothing?! He's sleeping outside my door!"

"And where does he usually sleep?" Ahamo demanded pushing himself up.

"That's-that's not your businesses," DG sputtered, heat flooding her face.

"Oh really? Because I'm pretty sure I programmed those drones with a 'no dating' rule and I imagine that includes boys sleeping inside your room. I think Mr. Cain can wait a bit until you two are officially married before he sleeps inside your room."

"But what if someone attacks from the balcony?" DG demanded.

"You're so far off the ground that the only one who could do that is one of those wretched flying monkey's your sister had tattooed on her chest," DG sighed and pouted, "besides Mr. Cain's proven himself more than capable of coming quickly if you scream."

"Yes but--but Az gets to sleep with Ambrose in her room and she's not married," DG argued.

"You aren't going to win this one," Ahamo said fixing her with his eyes, "he's not sleeping in your room. Your sister and Ambrose are going to be parents--"

"Oh and thats so much better?" DG demanded, "I'm going to be a step mom."

"Jeb Cain is a grown man," Ahamo said.

"So this is about our age difference?" DG demanded, "you don't want us to get married," she accused her father.

"Of course not," he said, "if it were up to me you and your sister would be kids forever. But I think Mr. Cain is a wonderful man and I couldn't think of a better man to be with you," he smiled briefly, "but if he so much as sets foot in that room without the pretense of rescuing you I will lock him back in that tin suite."

"You'll what?!" DG screeched.

"He told Ambrose he'd throw him off his balloon," Lavender sighed looking at her husband before looking back at her daughter.

"You, you're worse than drone-daddy!" she huffed furiously, "he just threatened them with his shotgun."

"I knew I got that programming wrong," Ahamo sighed, "I meant for him to shoot any boys."

"Daddy!"

"Don't 'Daddy' me, you and Mr. Cain are capable of waiting until you two are married to do anything," DG looked away, "I don't even want to know. You two can wait until you're married and that's final."

"Fine! But I'm having all those stupid suites destroyed and I'm telling Az where you're hiding your balloon," she threatened turning and walking out of the room.

"Maybe arranged marriage is a good idea," Ahamo groaned flopping back on the bed next to his wife who hit his chest, "I'm serious, we pick the groom and the girl's still think we're the best thing in the world," she laughed and shook her head, "well is a thought."

Downstairs it didn't matter that it was night and a ridiculous time for archery. Airofday could not sleep and shooting arrows at a target she was putting Jeb's face on seemed as good an idea as any. She fitted the bow with an arrow, raised the bow, drew back and released. The arrow sailed through the air and slammed into the target with a crack. She fitted another arrow and pulled it back, hitting the target again. She fired again, slamming the arrow into the target before raising her bow again slamming yet another arrow into the target.

"You seem upset."

"Your Highness!" Day almost dropped the bow as she spun around to see DG standing there, "I didn't hear you come."

"Learning a new trick," she said with a shrug, "I just go through yelling at my father. Seems I've got Jeb to thank for the permission thing."

"True. I just told him to stop sulking," the Witch said hefting the bow, "he came up with the rest on his own," she drew back the bow, "and I don't know if he's stopped sulking because I am not speaking to him right now, she added firing another arrow, "he is a stubbonr, pig headed, idiotic Knight who can't think without a sword in his hand," she added firing another arrow viciously, "and if you're down here to reason with me tell him to come himself."

"He doesn't know I'm here," she said.

"Well he shou--wait he doesn't know?" she demanded turning to face her, "why are you here?"

"Couldn't sleep," she said, "and Cain's guarding my door since my father threatened to lock him in the tin suite and then drop him from his balloon."

"That seems to be a popular torture with your father," Day commented dryly.

"Tell me about it," DG grumbled.

"Is it odd?" DG raised her eyebrows, "I mean Jeb's a few years younger than you and you're going to be his step mom. Is it a little weird to think that?"

"I thought so initially," DG commented, "I mean in the beginning I saw Cain as far more of a father figure, probably because I had just found out my own father was a robot. Then I realized that I had two fathers and I never thought about either of them the way I thought about Cain. I mean yeah sometimes it's a little weird but you can't help who you love."

"Love? Who said anything about love? I don't love--" Day stopped feeling foolish, "I don't fall in love."

"Oh no?" DG raised her eyebrows.

"No," Day said stubbornly crossing her arms.

"No?" DG questioned.

"No and I especially do not fall in love with men like Jeb Cain. Nice boys are to hard to fall in love with. At least with bad boys you know exactly what you're getting into. I mean sure its fine when it starts out and then they realize you're actually not that nice and they leave you for some innocent, pretty girl whose got more clouds in her head than brains. Its too much of a cliche."

"DG where the hell are you?" Airofday looked up at the sound of Cain's voice.

"You'd better go," she said.

"With any luck I can convince him that daddy's not going to put him in that tin suite and drop him if he touches me," she said turning and hurrying inside the palace.

"I am not in love," Airofday sighed drawing back the bow.

The next two weeks passed in a flurry and before anyone had time to breathe Azkadellia was pulling on her dress. She had finally, after much tribulation and a few choice words and threats, managed to convince the seamstress that there was no chance at almost two months she was going to look pregnant. The dress was not white but a color closer to that of champaign. It was strapless but managed to be high enough to be tasteful. The dress was belted low at her hips and seemed to shimmer in the light. She had pulled her hair back off her face and wore no jewelry except the diamond ring Ambrose had given her.

"Are you nervous?" DG asked her.

"Its a little late to be nervous," she said with a smile, "but no, I'm not," she looked at the doors, "I'm ready to be married to him."

"I know you are," she said hugging her sister.

"You ready?" Ahamo asked.

On Azkadellia's request (and that of his wife) he had shaved off the odd beard he had been wearing, more out of laziness than anything else. He was obviously upset to be giving away his eldest daughter and DG had no doubt he'd be just as unhappy to give her away. But Azkadellia was practically glowing and the they would all be living in the same place anyway. DG brushed out the skirts of her blue dress and smiled at her sister before turning to walk down the isle. She frowned. There was a little envelope inside the boquet that was written in Cain's familiar scrawl. She pulled it open and turned it over on her hand quickly.

A ring fell out.

She opened and closed her mouth, turning to look at her father and sister who smiled encouragingly. The music started signaling her start down the isle and she instantly slid the ring onto her finger, holding her bouquet against her stomach and walking down the isle in front of her sister. Though she hardly knew it, her entire face was lit up. As Cain walked saw DG walk down the isle, her face glowing, he knew that it was going to be very hard to wait for his own wedding day. He heard the whispers and knew the eagle eyed court gossipers had seen the ring. It was no secret that he and DG were together but seeing the ring on her finger quickly put an end to any hope the men of the court might be holding that they would sweep the younger Princess off her feet.

Regardless of tradition DG walked right over to where he was and kissed him soundly on the lips before walking over to her spot and standing there. Neither bothered to hide the smile on their face since the entire world could have blown up and Ambrose probably wouldn't have noticed. How could he have when Azkadellia was walking towards him, dressed like she was? Even if it was on the arm of a man who had threatened to remove his brain again and throw him out of a hot air balloon. And then Ahamo smiled and gently passed his daughter to her new soon-to-be husband.

As soon as they had walked down the isle DG had pulled Cain aside to 'thank' him for the present. Of course that was not what happened. The second they had found themselves alone she had thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him--hard. He had yanked her against his chest, his arms impossibly warm through the material of his jacket. DG was drowning and she never, ever wanted to breathe again. Dimly she felt her back collide with the wall, his hands cushioning any kind of impact. A small sound worked its way through her lips when he parted them with his own. Her hands knotted behind his neck, pulling him closer so that any ideas he was getting about going down to the party were quickly fleeing his mind. His lips trailed fire down her neck as she gasped for breath, her nails digging into his shoulderblades before his lips found her own again.

Downstairs, in the deserted but soon-to-be full banquet hall Jeb Cain unslung Airofday from over his shoulder and faced the furious Witch. He hoped that since she hadn't blasted him already she wasn't going to but now he thought she might just be waiting for the perfect opportunity. The Witch shook out her dark gold dress and stalked off towards the other side of the epic ballroom. Jeb bit back a curse and stalked right after her.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" he demanded, "I've talked to my father and DG--I gave him the ring for Gods sake--and I am not acting like a child anymore. But you're avoiding me like I've got the plague. I want to know why."

"Well I'm not telling you," she snapped, not looking at him.

"Why the hell not? You tell me everything else."

"This is--this is different," she said crossing her arms. He raised his eyebrows, "don't give me that look!" she cried glancing over her shoulder, "that I-know-what-you're-thinking-because-I'm-Jeb-Cain-look!" he tried to smoother the smile pulling at his lips, "well this is obviously not bothering you so I'm going to--" he hand streaked out and grabbed her wrist.

"I miss you," he said, his voice soft and serious, "I miss you and I'm not letting you go. Tell me what's wrong."

"No!"

"Day--" he began.

"It's Airofday," she hissed jamming a finger into his chest, "my name is Airofday not Day or Air or any other stupid nickname."

"What is wrong with you?" he demanded holding up his hands, "why are you so defensive?"

"I am not being defensive!" she cried, her eyes fuming as words tumbled from her mouth, "I am being realistic. One day you'll find some stupid little woman who needs rescuing and you'll go away and save her and I'll be left all alone so it's very stupid that we're doing this sexual thing when I'm getting attached and no matter what your step mother and half the palace thinks the idea that I could possibly be falling in love with you is ridiculous because of what I just said about you going off with some simple girl who wants to settle down and make more little Cain's."

"I am so confused right now," Jeb said, "either you just broke up with me or you said you were falling in love with me."

"I did not say I was falling in love with you! I will not say I am falling in love with you--ever!" she said hotly crossing her arms. He raised his eyebrows right back at her, "why are you giving me that look?!" he smirked and used his fighting ability to get her so she was in his arms, dipped backwards.

"I know why you aren't going to say you're falling in love with me," he said, his eyes bright, "because you already are--in love with me I mean," the color drained out of her face, "just like I am already in love with you."

"You're what?" she opened her mouth.

"In love with you," he said, "don't ask me when it started because I have no idea but these past few days waking up alone in bed have been torture, emotional and physical torture. As for the part where I' going to leave you for some simple girl who wants to just have kids--I have no idea where you're getting that from but after you I don't think I could sleep with anyone else. I promise to call you Airofday or whatever the hell else you want and you can be whatever you want to be, but if you could squeeze me into your life I would be eternally grateful because if you don't I think i might have to go and lock myself back in one of those tin suites."

"Well when you put it like that," she said reaching up and threading her fingers through his hair, "I might be able to fit you in somewhere."

He shook his head with a smile and ducked down, sealing his lips over hers.


End file.
